History

The Ombuds-Committee was established by the Act of 25 July 2002. At the time, the authors of the law opted for the concept of a committee whose six members constitute a collegial, multidisciplinary team with diverse professional and family experiences. The president worked full-time at ORK. This arrangement was intended to ensure both the minimum availability required and easier identification by the general public and children in particular.

Although the missions of ORK were determined by this law, the status of the ORK, the statute of the "Ombudspersoun", was not specified, nor very consistent in terms of independence and neutrality. In financial terms, the budget of the ORK was depending on the Ministry of Family and afterwards on the Ministry of National Education.

Given the multiplicitiy of the missions, it is no longer possible for the ORK to achieve its objectives effectively due to the lack of human resources.

At the end of her second term of office, Mrs Rodesch Marie Anne and the members of the Committee had reiterated their wish for a new law, and in particular to see ORK attached directly to the Chamber of Deputies, following the example of the system operating in many other European countries, thus underlining its character as an authority independent of government action.

Finally, eighteen years later, the law of 2002 was replaced by the law of 1 April 2020 creating the Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher (OKaJu).

The Act reflects the intention of the Government and Parliament to attribute a place to the interests of the child, to create an institution with the necessary powers and resources to give a voice to the children and to ensure that their best interests remain the primary consideration in the adaptation of legislative or administrative measures.

At the same time, the function of OKaJu is being upgraded, since its opinion will be considered on all bills and draft grand-ducal regulations concerning children.

OKaJu will have its own administration, the Office of the Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher. The Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher will be nominated for a single term of eight years. In 2020, the Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher will move together with the Human Rights Advisory Commission (CCDH) and the Centre for Equal Treatment (CET), to the Menscherechthaus on the route to Arlon, where OKaJu will have new premises and a stronger team of employees.

The members of the ORK from 2003 to 2020

Mandat 2003 à 2007

Marie Anne RODESCH-HENGESCH, assistante sociale, présidente
Robert SOISSON, psychologue, vice- président
Membres :
Valérie KRIEPS-DUPONG, avocat,
Caroline MART, journaliste,
Elisabeth MULLER-MEYRATH, mère de famille, déléguée des Lëtzebuerger Guiden a Scouten,
Jean-Jacques KOHN, enseignant, délégué de la Fédération nationale deséclaireurs et éclaireuses (FNEL),

Mandat 2008 à 2012

Marie Anne RODESCH-HENGESCH, Ombudsfra fir d’Rechter vum Kand, présidente
Robert SOISSON, psychologue, vice- président
Membres :
Valérie KRIEPS-DUPONG, avocat à la Cour,
Caroline MART, journaliste, membre
Monique FEY-SUNNEN, infirmière pédiatrique graduée, membre (absente sur la photo)
Michel DONVEN, instituteur, délégué de la Fédération nationale des éclaireurs et éclaireuses
(FNEL), membre à partir du 6 mars 2009 en remplacement de Monsieur Jean-Jacques KOHN

Mandat 2013 à 2017

René SCHLECHTER, Président, Ombudsman fir d'Rechter vum Kand, Pédagogue diplômé
Monique FEY-SUNNEN, Vice-Présidente, Infirmière graduée en pédiatrie et Chargé de direction de l’ Initiativ Liewensufank a.s.b.l.
Membres:
Andrée BIRNBAUM, Master o.A. Sciences Sociales, Spéc: Famille
Michel DONVEN, Instituteur,
Claudine ERPELDING, Avocate à la Cour, membre à partir du 1ier février 2015 en remplacement de de Jean-Jacques SCHONCKERT, Avocat à la Cour
Paula MARTINS, Membre de la Confédération de la Communauté Portugaise à Luxembourg CCPL, Membre de la União Despotiva Portuguesa de Wormeldange UDP et Présidente du Comité de jumelage de Wormeldange-Mortagua

Mandat 2018 au 18 avril 2020, entrée en vigueur le la Loi du 1er avril instituant l'Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher et abrogeant l'Ombuds Comité fir d'Rechter vum Kand

René SCHLECHTER, Président, :Ombudsman fir d'Rechter vum Kand
Andrée BIRNBAUM, Vice-Présidente, Master o.A. Travail Social
Membres:
Michelle ENTRINGER, Journaliste
Claudine ERPELDING, avocate
Paula MARTINS, Membre de la Confédération de la Communauté Portugaise à Luxembourg CCPL, Membre de la União Despotiva Portuguesa de Wormeldange UDP et Présidente du Comité de jumelage de Wormeldange-Mortagua
Fernand SCHINTGEN, pédagogue social